The real reason behind the Kobe/Karl rift - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

goddfather40 · 12-12-2004, 05:28 PM

As written by TJ Simers in this mornings LA Times.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...adlines-sports

Quote:

The Soap Opera Behind Bryant-Malone Drama

I'm going to write two words here, and while they might disgust you, I'm going to ask you not to immediately crumple your newspaper and throw it across the room.

OK, here goes: Kobe Bryant.

There's almost nothing you can say these days as it relates to the Lakers without drawing a line in the stands between the Kobe lovers and the Kobe haters, and now here's more fodder to ponder.

Both Bryant and Karl Malone — speaking through his agent, Dwight Manley — confirmed Saturday night that they had a major falling out involving Bryant's wife, Vanessa, two weeks before the Bryant radio interview that had supposedly ticked off Malone so much.

Before Saturday night's game with the Clippers, Bryant listened as I relayed the story that's going around town, and when I finished, he said, that's true.

On Nov. 23, the night the Lakers played the Bucks at Staples Center, Vanessa was talking on the phone to Malone's wife, Kaye. Kaye gave Vanessa her husband's cellphone number, and Vanessa called Malone, who was sitting at courtside, and invited Malone's child to join her.

Malone, wearing cowboy boots and a hat, eventually took the child to Vanessa.

Malone hugged Vanessa, and then Vanessa asked — as Manley recounts this part of the story — "Hey, cowboy, what are you hunting?"

"She said it twice," Manley said, "and Karl answered the second time, 'I'm hunting for little Mexican girls.' "

After the game Vanessa told Bryant that Malone had come on to her, and said several inappropriate things. She also told Bryant that she had called Malone's wife and asked Kaye to get her husband away from her.

Bryant called Malone on his cellphone after the game, and Bryant laid into Malone. Bryant said Malone didn't have much to say in return and didn't deny anything.

What's a husband supposed to do when your wife tells you something like that? Bryant wanted to know as we talked.

Bryant said he was uncomfortable discussing the incident and he would have preferred to keep it quiet, but the New York Post reported this week that Malone was seen giving Vanessa a big hug, and then "somehow Malone managed to cross Vanessa" and got on her "frosty side."

AFTER I talked to Bryant, I relayed the same story to Manley and asked for the opportunity to talk to Malone and hear his version.

"Karl wants me to give you two messages," Manley said after calling Malone. "He never hit on Vanessa, nor would he…. In fact, when he first heard about [the accusation], he said, 'You have to be kidding me.'

"As for the comments he made to her that offended her personally, he told both her and Kobe that night that he apologized."

Manley said that after Malone apologized, "Kobe followed that with a string of threats."

Bryant said he was upset but he said that he made no threats and was only coming to the defense of his wife, and that he told Malone to stay away from his wife.

Bryant said when he did the radio interview with XTRA (690/1150) he never mentioned anything about the simmering feud between the two because he didn't want to take personal shots at Malone.

Manley said Bryant called the Malone home the next day with more threats, and that Malone's wife listened in on a speaker phone.

Bryant said that both he and his wife called the Malones the next day in an attempt to work things out but failed.

The Bryants' second-day phone call and continuing accusations infuriated Malone and that led him to effectively end his relationship with the Lakers. The subsequent radio interview with XTRA allowed the rift between the two to go public without any mention of the soap opera — until now.

Again, people are so quick to attack Kobe for things that happen. But if the behavior described above is true, Karl is the real problem.

present_future · 12-12-2004, 05:39 PM

Wow, that is really messed up. Just another example of how professional athletes don't feel that they have to follow the same rules as normal people.

thrsn0730 · 12-12-2004, 05:42 PM

Karl Malone might be the most petulant 40-some year old in the nation. He's always got a problem with somebody and it's usually either ridiculous or his fault. This doesn't surprise me at all.

It seems like every few months he had some huge issue with the owner of the Jazz. He's just continued that in L.A. No surprise.

Dostoevsky · 12-13-2004, 05:24 AM

There could be a lot more to come out from this. I respect Karl Malone a lot more than I do Kobe Bryant and I have a feeling that Kobe is not quite as faltless in this matter as this account makes him seem. I don't have any information to back my statement up, it's just a gut feeling.

bond007 · 12-13-2004, 06:43 AM

Quote:

"Hey, cowboy, what are you hunting?"

sounds like Malone made an inappropriate remark to an inappropriate question!

Palamidian · 12-13-2004, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Malone hugged Vanessa, and then Vanessa asked — as Manley recounts this part of the story — "Hey, cowboy, what are you hunting?"

"She said it twice," Manley said, "and Karl answered the second time, 'I'm hunting for little Mexican girls.' "

Ha, I think his response was funny and was probably just a joke that got blown way out of proportion. I agree with Dostoevsky in saying that i respect Malone much more and it seems like Kobe was quick to jump on Malone's case.

stevo · 12-13-2004, 08:31 PM

I read another account of this on espn.com...basically the same story, but it left out the funniest line...

Quote:

"From there Malone asked Vanessa if she could keep a secret, and that he would like to tell her something. At which point Vanessa told him she was a married woman and he was a married man who was old enough to be her father. To which Malone replied, 'Oh, like your daddy?' At that point she told me she ended the conversation," Pelinka said.

Like your daddy? Thats gold. anyway heres the story where that line comes from. its basically the same as the one posted above, a little more extensive.

Quote:

The Kobe Bryant-Karl Malone feud has turned personal, with Bryant accusing Malone of making a pass at his wife at a Lakers game.

Rob Pelinka, the agent for Bryant, told ESPN.com on Sunday night that Malone made "several inappropriate comments" to Bryant's wife, Vanessa, on Nov. 23 at a Los Angeles Lakers home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

"Kobe and Karl had a true friendship, much more than teammates," Pelinka said. "Their wives are quite friendly as well. Kobe has told me that he feels very hurt and betrayed by what has happened."

Bryant said to reporters before Sunday night's game against Orlando, "The comments that [Malone] said, I don't know any man in this room that wouldn't be upset about that. The past month, myself, my wife, [Malone's wife] Kaye, we've had fun together. We've been out to their house, just joking around, giving each other a hard time, just clowning, being sarcastic with one another, baby-sitting kids and all that."

Asked if there could have been a misunderstanding, Bryant said, "What he said is what he said. I believe in my heart that it wasn't a misunderstanding. My wife wasn't going to stand for it. She felt uncomfortable being around him to the point that she felt she had to call his wife and tell her."

Bryant said Malone didn't deny making the comments and told him during their phone conversation, "Aw, you know, I'm sorry if I said anything that was out of line." Added Bryant, "He was like a mentor, like a brother to me, so when something like that happens, you're upset, you're hurt."

Malone was not available for comment Sunday. Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, told the Los Angeles Times on Sunday that Malone was asked by Vanessa Bryant, "Hey, cowboy, what are you hunting?" in reference to Malone wearing a cowboy hat and boots.

"She said it twice," Manley said, "and Karl answered, 'I'm hunting for little Mexican girls.' "

Malone was not available for comment Sunday, but Manley said Malone told him he had never made a pass at Bryant's wife, that he was surprised by the accusation, and that he then apologized to both Bryant and his wife for any remarks she might have considered inappropriate.

"Karl's response to Kobe's comments today is that he's a basketball player and not a soap opera actor and he doesn't intend to be involved in a personal soap opera," Manley said of his client.

Pelinka, who works for SFX and has been Bryant's agent for four years, said he was told what transpired last month by Kobe and Vanessa Bryant.

"Karl and his son were at the game sitting in the front row," Pelinka said. "Vanessa was on the cell phone talking to Karl's wife, Kaye, and Vanessa said that her son looked bored. Kaye told her to call Karl to have her son join her in her seats. Kaye gave Vanessa Karl's cell number and she called him. When she called, Karl's response was, 'Why don't you come over here and sit next to me and give me a big hug?' Vanessa said, 'Why? For what?' And Karl replied, 'If you do that it will be on the cover of every magazine in the country.'

"Vanessa didn't know what to say because this was the first time she had ever spoken to Malone without Kobe or Kaye being around. Karl continued. 'Do you like me?' Malone asked her, to which Vanessa said, 'As my friend, Kaye's husband,' " Pelinka said.

"From there Malone asked Vanessa if she could keep a secret, and that he would like to tell her something. At which point Vanessa told him she was a married woman and he was a married man who was old enough to be her father. To which Malone replied, 'Oh, like your daddy?' At that point she told me she ended the conversation," Pelinka said.

In the second half of the game, Malone sent his son to sit with the Bryants.

"Vanessa told me that she just was very uncomfortable at halftime and that Karl was acting and saying weird things." said Pelinka. "When the game ended, Vanessa walked Malone's son back to Karl. She told me that she asked Malone why he was wearing that [cowboy] hat. His response was, 'I'm hunting for young Mexican girls.' At which point Vanessa just walked away."

On the car ride home, Vanessa Bryant told Kobe what had happened. Vanessa decided to call Kaye Malone and tell her about the way her husband had spoken to her. After they hung up, Kobe Bryant called Karl Malone on his cell phone.

"Kobe told me that Karl just listened and didn't deny any of it. Kobe said Karl's only reply was, 'You know me, man.' To which Kobe told him, 'That's right, I do know you -- and stay away from my wife,' " said Pelinka. "The next day, with all four of them on the phone, Karl denied it. At that point the Bryants knew that there was nothing left to talk about since they knew Karl wasn't telling the truth. Vanessa told me that she told Kaye that she wanted her to know 'just exactly what your husband did and you do what you want with the information.' "

Last week Bryant said in a radio interview on XTRA that it was his intuition that Malone would retire. That comment led Malone to reply that he did not want to be a distraction to the Lakers and blamed Bryant for the rift.

According to Bryant, Malone told him before the season started that he was going to retire and spend more time with his family. Bryant said that Malone asked him not to speak publicly about his decision. Malone has been recovering from knee surgery and had told the Lakers that if he was going to return to play it would be with them.

pan6467 · 12-13-2004, 09:03 PM

SOunds to me more like a woman doing that "make my man jealous" game. There's both sides and then somewhere in the middle lies the truth. My gut instinct is that it was Kobe's wife wanting attention, flirted with Malone and he may have said something jokingly back and she couldn't wait to tell Kobe. Never underestimate the evilness of a woman.

Harry Cox · 12-14-2004, 02:59 PM

Give me a fucking break. Karl Malone is an ass, but he was not hitting on that stupid bitch. She has lost touch with reality.

Dostoevsky · 12-14-2004, 03:34 PM

Yeah, I don't think there's anyway that Malone should take all the blame for this incident. It sounds like whatever happened got blown way out of proportion. I mean it says in the article that the Malones and Bryants spent lots of time with each other. It sounds like Karl made a joke that Mrs. Bryant took offense to for no good reason, I mean that shit was funny, and made a huge deal about it. Whatever, Kobe sounds like an asshole from all accounts I've read and heard.

high_jinx · 12-15-2004, 01:11 AM

i believe it's one of 2 scenario's....

1) kobe's wife cooked this up because she loves drama and attention and knew that no matter how outrageous it might seem, kobe would have to have her back. if he didn't, she could probably just divorce him and take half of everything he has++ after all the court stuff from the last couple years. and this is how far kobe will go to keep that from happening.

2) malone's agent cooked up the part about him leaving because of issues with kobe to free him from looking lame when he signed for more money with an actual contender after he'd been saying he'd play for the lakers so long. kobessa launched the neurotic pass on her at an actual game story in an attempt to get everyone to stop saying "kobe is a guy that keeps running hall of famers out of town." and start saying "how could that mean old man do such a thing?!"

i'm inclined to believe #1

i've been watching malone for 20 years now. i know he wouldn't be stupid enough to hit on a players wife right in the middle of an arena while a game's on. he has absolutely no history for anything like that. if you put his cowboy hat and some country music blasting in the backround, you can find a suitably cozy context of just joshin' that was meant and if you put some opera music and prude snootiness behind kobessa, you can see how they took his jokes out of context and in offededness. i know... offendedness isn't a word.

bravosnakeeyes · 12-16-2004, 07:29 AM

this goes to prove once again that we really don't know these athletes. who would have thought that kobe would get charged for rape? or kirby pucket being accused of sexual assault?? athletes put on a show to get the money from sponsors... you can say you've watched a player for 20 years but DO YOU REALLY KNOW THEM AS PEOPLE?

I stopped thinking athletes were role models since Magic announced he had AIDS.

funkeodor · 12-17-2004, 10:31 PM

I blame it on the wife, hands down. Bros before Hoes!

Andrew · 12-20-2004, 07:56 PM

See, it all depends upon his town. I've joked around with my friends' girlfriends before. In print, the comment seems bad, but how was his tone? Was he simply joking? Even so, his comments were not so blatantly wrong that Kobe should threaten his team's chances at the playoffs. I know Malone's a bastard, but I never heard that he cheated on his wife. Why would he cheat on her now? Look at how you talk to your friends. I'm said 25x worse to my friends, but they were aware I was joking. I said worse things to my friends' girlfriends. In any matter, Kobe is still to blame. This is a multi-million, maybe billion, dollar sport. He should grow up and learn to play with those he dislikes.

Andrew.

Andrew · 12-20-2004, 07:57 PM

One more thing:

Kobe's teammates were willing to play with him despite the fact that he may have RAPED a woman. That is far worse than one misguided comment.

sashime76 · 12-22-2004, 10:38 AM

Don't forget Malone has fathered a set of twins that he did not admit until recent years. How many more are out there that the Mailman has delivered but won't fess up to? As for the "raped" victim, more and more we see her real personal life and intentions - $$$$$.

Kobe committed adultry, as many NBA players before him, Dr. J, Magic, Bird, Jordan, they are just luck that they had them tucked away.

robertjtucker · 01-04-2005, 07:13 AM

Vanessa just trying to get back at Kobe.

cameroncrazy822 · 01-04-2005, 12:53 PM

Here's the the true scoop.... Kobe's an egotistical asshole.
Plug it in for any and all of the controversies that have and will follow him.

12-12-2004, 05:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
present_future Take my hand Location: Everywhere, but nowhere	Wow, that is really messed up. Just another example of how professional athletes don't feel that they have to follow the same rules as normal people. __________________ The only thing I'll ever ask of you... you gotta promise not to stop when I say when.

12-13-2004, 05:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dostoevsky Psycho Location: Macon, GA	There could be a lot more to come out from this. I respect Karl Malone a lot more than I do Kobe Bryant and I have a feeling that Kobe is not quite as faltless in this matter as this account makes him seem. I don't have any information to back my statement up, it's just a gut feeling. __________________ Pride is the recognition of the fact that you are your own highest value and, like all of man’s values, it has to be earned. It is not advisable, James, to venture unsolicited opinions. You should spare yourself the embarrassing discovery of their exact value to your listener. Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

12-13-2004, 09:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
pan6467 Lennonite Priest Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA	SOunds to me more like a woman doing that "make my man jealous" game. There's both sides and then somewhere in the middle lies the truth. My gut instinct is that it was Kobe's wife wanting attention, flirted with Malone and he may have said something jokingly back and she couldn't wait to tell Kobe. Never underestimate the evilness of a woman. __________________ I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

12-14-2004, 03:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
Dostoevsky Psycho Location: Macon, GA	Yeah, I don't think there's anyway that Malone should take all the blame for this incident. It sounds like whatever happened got blown way out of proportion. I mean it says in the article that the Malones and Bryants spent lots of time with each other. It sounds like Karl made a joke that Mrs. Bryant took offense to for no good reason, I mean that shit was funny, and made a huge deal about it. Whatever, Kobe sounds like an asshole from all accounts I've read and heard. __________________ Pride is the recognition of the fact that you are your own highest value and, like all of man’s values, it has to be earned. It is not advisable, James, to venture unsolicited opinions. You should spare yourself the embarrassing discovery of their exact value to your listener. Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

12-15-2004, 01:11 AM	#11 (permalink)
high_jinx Psycho Location: venice beach, ca	i believe it's one of 2 scenario's.... 1) kobe's wife cooked this up because she loves drama and attention and knew that no matter how outrageous it might seem, kobe would have to have her back. if he didn't, she could probably just divorce him and take half of everything he has++ after all the court stuff from the last couple years. and this is how far kobe will go to keep that from happening. 2) malone's agent cooked up the part about him leaving because of issues with kobe to free him from looking lame when he signed for more money with an actual contender after he'd been saying he'd play for the lakers so long. kobessa launched the neurotic pass on her at an actual game story in an attempt to get everyone to stop saying "kobe is a guy that keeps running hall of famers out of town." and start saying "how could that mean old man do such a thing?!" i'm inclined to believe #1 i've been watching malone for 20 years now. i know he wouldn't be stupid enough to hit on a players wife right in the middle of an arena while a game's on. he has absolutely no history for anything like that. if you put his cowboy hat and some country music blasting in the backround, you can find a suitably cozy context of just joshin' that was meant and if you put some opera music and prude snootiness behind kobessa, you can see how they took his jokes out of context and in offededness. i know... offendedness isn't a word. __________________ -my phobia drowned while i was gettin down.

12-12-2004, 05:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
thrsn0730 Crazy Location: Mount Pleasant, SC	Karl Malone might be the most petulant 40-some year old in the nation. He's always got a problem with somebody and it's usually either ridiculous or his fault. This doesn't surprise me at all. It seems like every few months he had some huge issue with the owner of the Jazz. He's just continued that in L.A. No surprise.

12-14-2004, 02:59 PM	#9 (permalink)
Harry Cox Insane	Give me a fucking break. Karl Malone is an ass, but he was not hitting on that stupid bitch. She has lost touch with reality.

12-16-2004, 07:29 AM	#12 (permalink)
bravosnakeeyes Upright	this goes to prove once again that we really don't know these athletes. who would have thought that kobe would get charged for rape? or kirby pucket being accused of sexual assault?? athletes put on a show to get the money from sponsors... you can say you've watched a player for 20 years but DO YOU REALLY KNOW THEM AS PEOPLE? I stopped thinking athletes were role models since Magic announced he had AIDS.

12-17-2004, 10:31 PM	#13 (permalink)
funkeodor Upright	I blame it on the wife, hands down. Bros before Hoes!

12-20-2004, 07:56 PM	#14 (permalink)
Andrew Tilted	See, it all depends upon his town. I've joked around with my friends' girlfriends before. In print, the comment seems bad, but how was his tone? Was he simply joking? Even so, his comments were not so blatantly wrong that Kobe should threaten his team's chances at the playoffs. I know Malone's a bastard, but I never heard that he cheated on his wife. Why would he cheat on her now? Look at how you talk to your friends. I'm said 25x worse to my friends, but they were aware I was joking. I said worse things to my friends' girlfriends. In any matter, Kobe is still to blame. This is a multi-million, maybe billion, dollar sport. He should grow up and learn to play with those he dislikes. Andrew.

12-20-2004, 07:57 PM	#15 (permalink)
Andrew Tilted	One more thing: Kobe's teammates were willing to play with him despite the fact that he may have RAPED a woman. That is far worse than one misguided comment.

12-22-2004, 10:38 AM	#16 (permalink)
sashime76 Addict Location: Hoosier State	Don't forget Malone has fathered a set of twins that he did not admit until recent years. How many more are out there that the Mailman has delivered but won't fess up to? As for the "raped" victim, more and more we see her real personal life and intentions - $$$$$. Kobe committed adultry, as many NBA players before him, Dr. J, Magic, Bird, Jordan, they are just luck that they had them tucked away.

01-04-2005, 07:13 AM	#17 (permalink)
robertjtucker Upright Location: Durham, NC	Vanessa just trying to get back at Kobe.

01-04-2005, 12:53 PM	#18 (permalink)
cameroncrazy822 Junkie Location: MD	Here's the the true scoop.... Kobe's an egotistical asshole. Plug it in for any and all of the controversies that have and will follow him.